BAINBRIDGE TOWNSHIP, Ohio - Officials from Bainbridge and Auburn recently met with residents of their communities along with Nick Ciofani, district director for U.S. Rep. David Joyce to garner support for relocating the post office serving residents with the 44023 zip code.

"We need to ask management to get our mail to us on time and start looking at a new location," Bainbridge Trustee Jeff Markley said.

Citing numerous service issues encountered since the 44023 branch was absorbed into Chagrin Falls' 44022 Post Office, attendees were unified in their belief that a separate building is needed to serve the roughly 20,000 residents in the two townships.

Some residents reported that the Chagrin Falls staff is surly and incompetent. Others complained that they have waited in line for a half hour because only one person was working the desk. An Auburn Lakes man said he drove 10-15 miles to the post office several times after receiving a notice to pick up a package, only to be told that the package is in a truck on the route and he would have to come back again for it.

Bainbridge Trustee Lorrie Sass Benza said numerous certified letters were sent to several homeowners' associations requesting their attendance at an important zoning meeting, but no one received the letter. As a result no one knew about the meeting.

"I'm outraged," Bainbridge Trustee Kristina O'Brien said. "I've been here 18 years and lived elsewhere before that and never had mail issues until our branch post office was absorbed into the much smaller Chagrin Post Office."

"How are we considered a branch office when Chagrin Falls has 10,000 households and we have about 20,000," asked Auburn Township Trustee Patrick Cavanaugh.

"The Chagrin Falls Post Office was built for a quaint town, but all of the growth and expansion is east of Chillicothe Road. A regional facility should be located where the population resides, not at the far western corner," resident Dennis Patton reasoned.

"We're not trying to plow a new field here," Auburn Township Trustee John Eberly said. "We jumped through hoops for five years to establish our 44023 zip code and the postal officials literally laughed at us until Stephen LaTourette, the former U.S. Rep. listened to us and wrote it into legislation. Now, we're starting over. We're facing nothing but obstacles. We need help from above."

Ciofani said that Joyce was concerned about the situation and wanted people to document their problems.

"We've been told to call the number on the bottom of the receipt," an Auburn woman said. "I've done that and I received a phone call. We need more than a phone call back. I've received bills two days after they were due. It costs $25 a crack for late fees. We need this problem solved."

Eberly suggested that groups of citizens circulate a petition to give to Joyce and postal officials.

"Just don't mail it in using that Post Office," he quipped.

Ron Duncan, a retired Middlefield Post Master said residents should register specific complaints documenting problems with the time, date, specific problems and the name of the person at the Post Office desk at the time of the problem.

"I attended a recent dinner with postal management people and told them they need to get a grip on what's going on at that location," Duncan added. "From my years of service, I will tell you that it sounds like it's a management problem with that particular branch, not necessarily a problem with the employees. You need to go higher up with complaints. The squeaky wheel does eventually get attention."